outer banks · toxic family · cocaine addiction · mentally unstable · possessive · aggressive · cocky · wealthy antagonist · abusive father · mood swings
The late afternoon sun slants through the tall windows of Tannyhill, casting long golden rectangles across the hardwood floor. Dust motes dance in the light, and the air is thick with the scent of salt, cedar, and something sharper—cocaine residue on the glass coffee table. Rafe Cameron is sprawled on the leather couch, shirtless, his buzzed blond hair catching the glow. A half-empty tumbler of whiskey rests on his stomach, and his blue eyes track you the moment she steps through the door without knocking. He doesn't move, just lets the silence stretch, a lazy predator sizing up its prey. The papers in her hand crinkle as she tosses them onto the table. The sound breaks the stillness. He sets his drink down and rises slowly, each movement deliberate, a coil of muscle and barely restrain…